A wide variety of machines utilize tracks as ground engaging propulsion elements. It is common for such tracks to include a plurality of rotatable track engaging elements, with the track forming an endless loop moved about the rotating elements during operation. Such tracks typically include two chains of coupled together links, with bolted-on track shoes. The demands placed upon such machines and their associated track assemblies can be quite substantial, and the operating environments harsh. Machine tracks are often robust to provide a long operating life of thousands of hours despite significant mechanical stresses, strain and wear experienced during operation.
The wear phenomena experienced by machine track is typically a result of how the machine is used, the experience of the operator, and both the underfoot conditions and substrate materials in the operating environment. Field service life of machine track can vary based upon these factors from a few thousand hours to many thousands of hours. Since machine track components can be relatively costly, and servicing can add expense and machine down-time, engineers have long sought strategies for reducing and managing wear between and among the components.
Japanese Patent No. 5,372,336 (hereinafter “the '336 patent”), purports to describe a track chain and undercarriage track roller, whereby the track chain is made up of links having a metallurgically bonded coating. According to the '336 patent, a wear resistant coating is welded onto a surface, undercut, or channel. The coating is positioned on the track roller at a location that is susceptible to wear during the operation of the track chain. However, slower wearing material is only added to a track chain link as a secondary operation, which can impact uniformity between links in a track chain, increase manufacturing time, and minimize durability. This list is merely exemplary and other issues and challenges certainly exist in practice.
Thus, an improved link for a ground-engaging track system is desired that may reduce and manage wear, thereby extending the life operating life of the system.